The FTSE 100 got a lift this afternoon as markets reacted to shockingly strong figures on the US economy and the European Central Bank's slightly more dovish comments following its latest interest rate hold.
The US's fourth-quarter GDP figures came in well ahead of all economists' expectations, while at the same time a key gauge of prices showed inflation is already at the Fed's target rate. That suggests the US is in for a "goldilocks scenario", where it could escape the inflation crisis without a notable economic slowdown.
China’s central bank earlier stepped up efforts to support the world’s second largest economy by lowering its reserves requirement for banks.
Today’s session in London has also seen a flurry of trading updates, including by Halfords, Wizz Air, Foxtons, Dr Martens, Britvic and Fevertree Drinks.
